Thursday, June 28, 2007 Mayor denies using connections in ambush case By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
PULUPANDAN Mayor-elect Magdaleno “Magsy” Peña denied Wednesday the allegation by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) that he is using authorities in the province on the recent ambush against him.
The CPP-NPA accused Peña of being powerful because of his alleged connection with the Arroyos especially with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Peña, however, stressed, “I am not using anyone from the Philippine National Police, Army or even from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in my case. I have my witnesses to prove that Samuel “Samson” Mondia was with the group who ambushed me on May 30 at Gil Montilla Street, Barangay Zone IV, Pulupandan.”
Peña only laughed off at the statement of CPP-NPA’s Boy Gatmaitan Command that he allegedly designed the ambush against himself.
“What design? Me would ambush my self just to kill two of my trusted men? Stupid!” Peña said.
Peña is confident that with a lot of witnesses who are willing to testify in court in favor of him, he is sure to win the case and to succeed in putting Mondia to jail soon.
He said Mondia will pay for the lives of his driver Jose Moril Merced and bodyguard Ronnie Boy Gegavine.
NBI-Bacolod chief Mamerto Cortez said they can’t file the case yet against anyone suspected to be behind Peña ambush since they are still on the process of scrutinizing the affidavits of the new witnesses.
Aside from the witnesses, Peña along with his nephew, Jeranny Suatengco had also executed affidavits with the NBI pointing Mondia as the main suspect.
Both Peña and Suatengco insisted that Mondia was inside the blue Toyota Revo used as getaway car by five or six gunmen after the ambush.
Mondia repeatedly denied Peña’s accusations against him.
In the revious interviews, Mondia said he was innocent of what Peña is talking about the ambush.
Even Mondia’s wife told the media that her husband was inside their house when the ambush against Peña took place at around 3 p.m. on May 30.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Director Rosendo Franco, refused to comment on the case.
He said Peña had already sought assistance of the NBI so let it be and let NBI handle the case.
Franco said NOPPO is ready to assist the NBI in case it needs their help in the future.
